By the way, doctor: What causes Beau’s lines?
You wrote about weak, brittle fingernails with longitudinal ridges. I have strong nails with horizontal ridges. What causes this, and what can I do about it?
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Month: February 2012
On call: Winter depression
My wife gets down in the dumps each January. She thinks it’s just because the holidays have come and gone, but I think it’s more than that. Is it depression?
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Ask the doctor: Could my statin or exercise be affecting my kidneys?
Can muscle damage from a statin, or from strenuous exercise, elevate creatinine even after I stopped taking the statin and exercising but continue to take Zetia and Diovan HCT?
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Ask the doctor: Does joint replacement surgery cause heart rhythm problems?
Six months after having my knee replaced, I developed an arrhythmia. I know of this happening to others, including a friend who developed an arrhythmia after having his hip replaced. Does joint replacement surgery often cause heart rhythm problems?
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Ask the doctor: Is there a safe way to stop taking warfarin before surgery?
I’m a 79-year-old man with atrial fibrillation on Pacerone. I also take warfarin and aspirin. I plan to have a tooth pulled next month and wonder if it is safe to go off the blood thinners. How are these medications handled when serious surgery is needed?
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On call: Eyelid inflammation
I don’t have allergies, but my eyes often burn and itch. My vision is fine, but my eyes are sometimes bloodshot, and I come down with two or three sties a year. I don’t want to bother my doctor with such a minor problem, but I wonder if you can help.
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Ask the doctor: Does exercise help damaged heart muscle?
After my heart attack, my doctor told me that damaged heart muscle cannot be replaced. If this is true, why am I walking on a treadmill five days a week? Is this helping repair the damage or strengthen what’s left?
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Ask the doctor: Why do I get chest pain when I don’t warm up before exercising?
I work out regularly, but suffer from exercise-induced angina. If I start exercising without warming up, my chest starts to feel “tight” quickly. If I warm up properly, I can walk for several miles at a pretty fast pace without any pain. Can you explain?
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Ask the doctor: Does prednisone increase blood pressure?
I have rheumatoid arthritis, and my doctor wants me to take prednisone for it. Will this drug be bad for my blood pressure, which is already high?
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Ask the doctor: How is atrial flutter different from atrial fibrillation?
What are the differences between atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation?
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